Method for the finishing of rough points for ball point pens



P. AZZARITI Aug. 26, 1969 METHOD. FOR THE FIP IISHING OF ROUGH POINTS FOR BALL POINT PENS Filed May 23, 1967 S mnyw TZ N mz m V W m0 A ay My B United States Patent 3,463,106 METHOD FOR THE FINISHING OF ROUGH POINTS FOR BALL POINT PENS Pietro Azzariti, Desenzano, Garda, Italy, assignor to Real Patentauswertungs Anstalt, Vaduz, Liechtenstein Filed May 23, 1967, Ser. No. 640,724 Claims priority, application Italy, May 31, 1966, 18,518/66, Patent 12,517 Int. Cl. B21d 53/76 US. Cl. 113-32 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Rough points for ball point pens are formed by rotating a tool and a pen point workpiece relative to each other and advancing them relatively toward each other until the tool forms in the workpiece the seat for the ball, at the same time that a radially outwardly extending flange on the tool upsets and flattens the edge of the seat.

The present invention relates to a process for the finishing of rough points for ball point pens in general and in particular for those obtained through metal-sheet pressing, by using the minimum number of tools, and also relates to a device for the realization of the first phase of the method.

The method is characterized by the initial use of a device comprising a multiple-tool for the finishing of the seat of the sphere, and means for imparting to the tool or to the point two relative motions, one of rotation about its axis and the other of axial displacement, said tool being provided with a convex terminal portion, its profile being such as to produce the finished cavity to receive the sphere, thanks to the two relative motions previously described and also provided with a flange adapted to simultaneously flatten the terminal surface of the point, said device comprising also a small centering plate to assure the coaxial alining of the multiple-tool with the point; the remaining operations for the carving of the ink tubes, for the introduction of the sphere and for the reedging of the points edges being accomplished by distinct tools.

The device for achieving the first phase of the process is therefore characterized by a multiple-tool for the finishing of the seat of the sphere and also by means capable to impart to the tool and/or to the point two relative motions, one being rotation motion about its axis and the other one being an axial upwards and downwards motion of the tool in respect to the point to be processed, said multiple-tool being provided with a convex terminal portion having a complementary profile in respect to the profile of the finished cavity of the point receiving the sphere and a flange for the flattening of the upper end of the points, said device comprising also a small centering plate to assure the coaxiality of the multiple-tool in respect to the point to be processed. In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is an axial section of a preferred form of the device, as per the present invention, during the processing of a point;

FIG. 2 shows the phase during which the ink tubes are carved so as to permit the flow of ink, finishing in this way the base;

FIG. 3 shows for the introduction of the sphere into the seat;

FIG. 4 shows the pressing of the points edge so as to retain the sphere; and

FIG. 5 shows the re-edging of the point; with reference to FIG. 1 the device is comprised by the multipletool comprising the tang 1, the point 2 profiled after the complementary cavity 3 of the point for ball point pens to be processed, and the flange 5 presenting a flat lower end adapted to flatten the surface 6 of the point 4.

The tang 1 is seized by the self-alining pincers 7 capable of two simultaneous motions, i.e. rotation motion 8 and axial translation motion 9.

The'coaxiality of the tool 1-2-5 in respect to point 4 is assured by the self-alining small plate 10, presenting the conical hole 11 which inserts itself into the complementary conical part 12 of point 4, and the cage mounted on roller bearings 13 which allows the axial sliding of the holding block inside the fixed cylinder 14.

The spring 15 furthers the return to the initial position. Each one, or both motions 8-9 can also be imparted to the point 4 instead of to the tool 1-2; they are in fact relative motions. The operation is obvious: by acting on tool 1-2 rotating after arrow 8 and axially displacing it after arrow 9, the conical wall 11 of the small centering plate 10 meets the conical surface 12 of the point 4 and assures the maintaining of the coaxiality of the tool in respect to the point 4 during the processing.

By subsequently lowering the tool 1, the spring 15 compresses itself, permitting the profiled lower part 2 of the tool to penetrate in to the cavity 3 of the point giving it the perfect final shape.

Toward the end of the operation the flat surface 5 of the tool meets the terminal surface 6 of the point and flattens it perfectly.

When this first part of the process has come to an end, one processed in the known way in order to carry out the next phases. With a tool 16 (FIG. 2) the small tubes 17 for the flow of ink are obtained. Successively the sphere 18 is placed inside the seat (FIG. 3). The edges 12 of the point are edged so as to retain the sphere (FIG. 4) and finally the edges are edged once more with a rotating tool provided with three rollers 20 to for a perfect finishing (FIG. 5).

I claim:

1. A method of forming rough points for ball point pens, comprising rotating relative to each other a pen point workpiece and a tool having a portion for forming a seat for a ball in an end of the workpiece, said tool having a radially outwardly extending annular flange about said seat-forming portion that confronts said workpiece, advancing said workpiece and tool axially relative toward each other until said seat-forming portion of the tool form a said seat in said workpiece and said flange contacts and flattens the end of said workpiece about said seat.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which said tool is rotated and said workpiece is maintained angularly stationary.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,009,240 11/ 1961 Brown 113-32 3,162,941 12/1964 Young 113'32 FOREIGN PATENTS 478,583 11/1951 Canada.

RONALD D. GREFE, Primary Examiner 

